Coffee-machine.



C. NELSON.

COFFEE MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED ooT.15. 1907.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Witnesses coLuMmA PLANoR/Wn cu.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES NELSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO S. STER/NAU &COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .A COPARTNERSHIP.

COFFEE-MACHINE.

To all 'wiz-0m t may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES NELSON, asubject of the King of Sweden, residing in the borough of Brooklyn,county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement inCoffee-Machines, (Case I,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in machines for making coffeeand analogous purposes and particularly relates to improvements uponthat type of device illustrated in my co-pending application for patentfiled August 4, 1907, Serial No. 389,997.

The objects of the present invention are to increase the efliciency ofthe device to reduce the time necessary to cause liquid to How throughthe fountain, to do away with certain parts of structures heretoforeused, and to render the device more easily cleaned.

Other objects will more fully appear from an examination of thefollowing specification and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a portion of a coifeemachine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail section thereof; andFigs. 3 and 4 are detail sections of a modification.

I will describe my present invention as embodied in a machine for makingcoffee, commonly known as coffee machines, such devices having areceptacle which is supported upon a stand above a spirit lamp, andhaving a screen or other foraminous support for the coiee, and atransparent globe through which the operation of the fountain can beobserved. The invention may be embodied in other structures, such ascoffee pots, tea pots and other analogous devices, without departingfrom the invention.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1,l

the receptacle 1 supports the globe 2, which latter in turn carries theforaminous support 8 for the coffee.v Through one wall of thereceptacle, in the embodiment illustratedthe bottom wall, passes athimble 4. This thimble is of cylindrical cross section, is hollow, openat the top and closed at the bottom. At the bottom is a flange 5 whichis Speccation of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 15, 1907.

- the receptacle.

Patented Nov. *7, 1911. Serial No. 397,586.

for the purpose of concentrating heat upon the thimble and also forprotecting the bottom of the receptacle from heat, except the pointwhere the thimble passes through.

' In coee and tea pots the flange serves the additional purpose ofa footfor sustaining the device upon the stove. The thimble is secured to thereceptacle by the engagement of a small flange 6 with the bottomthereof; the bottom being pinched between the flange and a nut 7,screwed to the thimble inside of The inside of the thimble constitutes achamber of less capacity than the receptacle 1. This chamber isindicated by the character 8 and communicates with the interior of thereceptacle. The fountain 9, in the embodiment illustrated, communicateswith the chamber and rests upon and is supported by the thimble. Thefountain is shown as comprising an outlet pipe 10, which extends fromthe chamber 8 up into the globe 2, and an inlet pipe 11, which isoutside of and concentric with the inlet pipe, but is of less lengththan such pipe. The upper portion of the inlet pipe flares outwardly,forming a chamber or box 12; its

`upper portion is screw-threaded for attachment of the cover 13. Thiscover is permanently attached to the outlet pipe 10 and serves as ameans of connection between the outlet and inlet pipes. By removing thecover 13 from the chamber 12 theinside of the inlet pipe and the outsideof the lower portion of the outlet pipe are exposed so that the twolatter may be cleaned. That portion of the chamber 12 which flares isprovided with a series of openings 14 which serve as a means ofcommunication between the inside of the receptacle and the inlet pipeand the chamber 8. These openings are closed by a valve 15, which isshown as having a dished body so as to snugly rest upon the inner wallsof the Haring portion of the chamber 12, and a stem 16, such stemresting within the -inlet pipe and being guided by the latter byengagement therewith. The stem 16 is provided with slots so that as thevalve is lifted from engagement with the walls of the chamber 12 theslots will be exposed within such chamber and liquid will be free toflow through the openings 14 and slots in the stem 16 into the chamber8. One of the walls of the slots, as shown in Fig. 2, is inclined uponcurved lines at 17. Such inclination pro-A duces slots which haveinclined sides. The purpose of this arrangement is to allow the openingto progressively increase as the valve is open, and also to produce arelatively long s tem on the valve for guiding the latter and at thesame time have a sufficiently large slot opening so as not to impede theliow of liquid into the chamber 8.

The inlet tube engages with the thimble 4, either outside of the latter,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or inside, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. One ofthe engaging surfaces is inclined so that not only a tight fit will beinsured between the parts and leakage at that point prevented, but thefountain will be held in position upon the thimble. In the structureshown in Figs. 1 and 2 the inclination is produced by inclining theouter wall of the thimble 4, the engaging inner wall of the inlet tubebeing not beveled. In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the outer wallof the inlet tube is inclined, and the engaging inner wall of thethimble is not. In the construction shown in Fig. 4 both engagingsurfaces are inclined, namely, the inner wall of the thimble and theouter wall of the inlet tube. In the structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4,the slots of the stem of the valve are not inclined but have parallelsides as disclosed in my co-pending application above referred to.

For the purpose of insulating the outletpipe 10 from the contents of thereceptacle 1, I provide a surrounding pipe 18, which extends from thecover 13 up through the foraminous support 3. This surrounding pipe 18is shown as concentric with the pipe 10, and the space between the twois inclosed, so that liquid cannot enter it. This provides a dead airjacket for the pipe and insulates the latter.

The outlet pipe 10 is straight and of small diameter and is of such alength that it extends for some distance into the chamber 8, its upperopen end forming an orifice 19 for the ready ejection of the liquid fromthe pipe.

The operation of the device is as follows: The receptacle 1 is partlyfilled with liquid and the requisite amount of coffee is placed withinthe foraminous support 3. The water will fill the chamber 8, the inlettube and chamber 12, and will stand in the outlet tube 10 at the sameheight as in the receptacle 1, or slightly higher, it depends uponcapillary action. The valve 15 will rest upon its seat and close theopenings 14.

Heat is now applied to the flange 5 and chamber 8, rapidly heating thecontents of the latter. When the liquid within the chamber 8 boils, theliquid lying within the outlet tube 10 will be forced out of the latterthrough its open upper end, and will. be sprayed upon the contents ofthe foraminous support 3. The liquid will percolate through suchmaterial back into the receptacle 1. As soon as pressure is relievedwithin the chamber 8, the height of the liquid within the pipe will belowered and the difference in pressure thereby produced will cause thelifting of the valve from its seat, exposing the openings 14 andpermitting the liquid to enter the chamber 8 from the receptacle 1. Thecontents of the chamber 8 will be again heated and the ejecting actionrepeated, the operation continuing until a diffusion of the desiredstrength is produced.

Owing to the absence of an insulating chamber at the base of thefountain, the chamber 8 may be made of small size, and its contents canbe brought to a boil in less time than when such chamber is used. Alsoby using the air jacket on the outlet pipe the contents of thereceptacle are kept at a lower temperature, consequently the fountaincan raise and discharge liquid for a longer period of time, which lastsuntil an e uilibrium of temperature exists in the device, than ispossible in other devices.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I havedescribed the principle of my invention, together with the apparatuswhich I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but Idesire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merelyillustrative and that the invention can be carried out in other ways.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a coffee machine, the combination with a foraminous essencesupport, a receptacle having a chamber of smaller capacity communicatingtherewith, of a fountain in communication with the chamber, an outletfor the fountain, said outlet communicating with the essence support, aclosed tube surrounding the outlet and a space between the outlet andtube, forming a dead air jacket between the fountain and the essencesupport.

2. In a coffee machine, the combination with a foraminous essencesupport, and a receptacle having a chamber of smaller capacitycommunicating therewith, of a fountain in communication with thechamber, an outlet pipe for they fountain, a closed tube surrounding theoutlet pipe and forming a dead air jacket extending from the fountain tothe outlet end of the pipe.

3. A fountain for a coffee machine having an outlet pipe, an inlet pipe,a valve chan1- bei' and a Valve Within the chamber, a closed tubesurrounding the outlet pipe, a space between the pipe and tube forming adead air jacket, the said air jacket extending the entire length of thepipe.

4C. A fountain for a coffee machine having an inlet pipe and an outletpipe, a Valve, the said Valve having a stem With a slot, one side of theslot being inclined so that as the valve leaves its seat an opening ofpro- 10 gressively increasing size Will be formed.

This specification signed and witnessed this fourteenth day of October,1907.

CHARLES NELSON.

Witnesses:

LEONARD H. DYER, J oHN C. LoTscH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

